This invention relates generally to intravenous fluids bags used in emergency medical situations in the field, and more particularly to a carrier pack apparatus arranged to protectively hold and carry an IV fluids bag and selectively apply pressure and heat or cold to the IV bag during dispensing to a patient to assure that a positive infusion of proper temperature fluids to a patient is continuously maintained irrespective of the relative disposition of the IV bag and the patient during treatment and rescue procedures in field situations in combat, emergency extrications and rescue operations and transport of the patient to a medical facility.
As the average person is likely to be aware, it is common and necessary that oftentimes when a person is injured it is important that he receive intravenous fluids as soon as practicable. Most individuals have seen examples of patients connected to IV fluids bags by catheter tube and will have noticed that the fluid bag is typically held in an elevated position above the patient either by a support hook structure or by a person holding the bag in hand. In this manner, the flow of the IV fluids through the catheter tube to the patient is assured by the force of gravity. Often however, particularly in combat, extrication and rescue situations, it is not possible to retain an IV bag in an elevated position above the patient, and consequently the IV bag must be placed on the patient's body or stretcher where IV fluid transfer is either greatly slowed or effectively stopped.
Also, as is well understood by those skilled in the art, combat and rescue situations occur in widely divergent temperature situations which are often at odds with the patient's needs while being tended in emergency medical circumstances. Examples of such temperature situations are the extremely hot, desert combat situations of places like Iraq and Afghanistan, and mountain rescue situations of hikers, etc. in subfreezing temperatures high up on mountains. Those skilled in the art will immediately recognize that it is less than desirable to infuse an injured patient in hot, desert climates with fluids that have warmed prior to use by their storage in the extremely hot desert environment. By the same token, it is undesirable to infuse a hypothermic patient with fluids that have been chilled as they have been transported to the scene of a mountain rescue. Indeed, in the above cases, the infusion of fluids is often necessary to help stabilize the body temperature against the heat or chill of the surrounding environment.
Therefore, it can be seen that a need exists for an IV infusion bag carrier pack that is arranged to be conveniently and protectively carried in hands-free condition supported on a combat or military or rescue personnel, and operable to provide pressurized, temperature-controlled infusion of the contents of an IV fluids bag to a patient irrespective of the relative positioning of the carrier pack and the IV bag contained therein relative to the patient.